You Are My Sunshine
by shasa
Summary: Oneshot series for Sasusaku month with LJ's prompts! Chapter 19: "I love you, you know," Sakura said in a meek voice when he pulled away. "I know," Sasuke said, a rare smile flitting across his lips. He pulled her closer. "I do too," COMPLETE
1. Chapter 1

A/N: Moments in time where it's obvious they're in love~

I will loosely be following LJ's prompts. Kind of. Maybe.

Enjoy!

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><p>Sasuke leaned against the kitchen counter as his pink-haired girlfriend told him about her latest shopping trip with Ino. He had tuned out long ago, preferring to listen to the lilting tones of her voice and watching her as she talked. She was so...expressive. The complete opposite of him. She talked with her voice, her face, and her hands. He smiled slightly and Sakura stopped talking to stare at him. He frowned at her.<p>

"What?" A smile blossomed on her rosebud lips.

"You smiled!" Sakura said triumphantly. Sasuke scowled.

"I did not,"

"You did you did you did~!" Sakura sang. "I'm calling Naruto and telling him the apocalypse is starting!" She laughed joyfully and Sasuke had to conciously hold on to his irritation to keep it from slipping away. "You never smile! I can't believe you smiled!"

"Sakura,"

"You were thinking of meee, weren't you Sasuke-kun!" She poked his cheek.

"**Sakura-**"

"Hah! I bet you were thinking about-" She was cut off abruptly as Sasuke chose to silence her with his mouth. He brought his hands to the back of her thighs and lifted so that her legs were wrapped around his waist. When he finally broke the kiss he was pleased to note that Sakura was flushed and breathing hard. She pressed her crimson forehead against his collar-bone.

"..Wow," She said softly. Sasuke smirked. That was one way to shut her up.

"Sasuke-kun?" Sakura said.

"Aa,"

"You should smile more often," _I love you._

He felt her smile one of her own against his chest as he rested his cheek against her fragrant hair.

"Hn," _I love you too._

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><p>"Everytime you smile at someone, it is an action of love, a gift to that person, a beautiful thing." - Mother Teresa<p>

Reviews are more than welcome so please, take the time to press that button! Thanks for reading! :D


	2. Chapter 3

Prompt: change  
>Disclaimer: I own not Naruto<br>Celebrate Sasusaku month!

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><p>00. Before It Really Began:<p>

She never left his side. Laughing, giggling, talking to him. Even when he didn't talk back. She knew that somewhere in there he cared for her, maybe as a teammate, or a friend, and sometimes when she was all alone she pretended he thought of her as more.

He pushed her away time and time again because she was everything he had pledged never to be. Happy, carefree, and joyous. And he was afraid that her happiness might be contagious because when he was with her he could feel it pushing at his boundaries.

01. Adolescence:

She missed him, and though she tried to hide it she knew everyone could see right though her. To be truthful, under Tsunade's extreme training, she didn't have much time to spend thinking about her traitorous crush. However, the small part of herself that was still the genin that had annoyed Sasuke as a child was thankful he wasn't here to see her awkward puberty stage.

He was too bent on revenge and power to pay attention to voice cracks, and gangly limbs and too big feet. Or so he told himself. But sometimes when it was just him and his thoughts, he'd wonder whether Naruto was taller than Sakura yet, if she was dating the obnoxious blond now that he was gone, and how they looked now.

02. Reunion:

She took in a shuddering gasp as she held a kunai to his back and realized she couldn't kill him. As he wrapped his hands around her neck she wished she could close her verdant eyes. She didn't want to see his expression when he killed her; she wanted her memory of him to be the boy she once knew, not the monster he'd become.

He wrapped his hands around the neck of his teammate. Former teammate, he had to remind himself. Pale, smooth, slender, and impossible fragile under his callused hands. She had changed so much, he thought offhandedly. He supposed he had too. He wondered for a brief split-second what was going through her mind in this instant, for all he could see in her glassy green eyes was disbelief. Had her thoughts on him changed as well? After all, he used to be the center of her world.

03. Return

She knew he was back because she was the first person Naruto told after dragging his sorry ass to Konoha. She had even visited him at the hospital while he was asleep. But she had yet to talk to him or be around him. Frankly, she didn't think she wanted to. No matter how hard she looked all she could see in his face was the traitor who left them, the monster that had tried to kill Naruto, who was like her brother, and the person who had tried to kill her, and gave her the nightmares she still suffered from. Not to mention the fact that she still loved him still tore at her like a knife. Some wounds had yet to heal.

He had never thought he would be back here, in Konoha. He hadn't given much thought to the future but he was sure he hadn't expected this. Konoha was the epitome of conflict for him. He hated it because it had decried the slaughter of his clan, but in all his years away he had never been able to stop thinking of it as home. Naruto had actually managed to defeat him and bring him back, and many of his former fellow genin had advanced in rank. Hyuuga had made jounin, along with others. Sakura had as well, he had heard. Not that he believed it, it must have been some rumor that was circling. He hadn't seen Sakura since he was back. He'd thought she'd be all over him like before, but he actually thought she was avoiding. She had changed more than he'd thought.

04. Farther Than Strangers:

She had finally healed enough to be around him. But she certainly hadn't forgiven him enough to talk to him or spend time alone with him. But it looked like he was becoming more and more like the Sasuke she had known. He was bantering with Naruto and allowed himself to be dragged around by the obnoxious blond. Maybe he hadn't crossed the point of no return into the darkness that threatened to consume him.

He had noticed Sakura was spending time in his presence again. But she seemed uncharacteristically quiet, selectively towards him. Sometimes he caught her looking at him and when he caught her eye she quickly looked away. He had also noticed that she rubbed her neck a lot around him, he wondered if she was thinking of the time he had tried to strangle her. A small part of him hoped not.

05. Puppy Love:

She could talk to him now and they ganged up on Naruto together. She could finally appreciate his sculpted muscles and pretty facial features without feeling like she had betrayed something inside of her. Naruto keeps complaining to her about how they were dancing around each other like lovesick puppies and Sasuke needed to grow some balls already. It makes her think that maybe, just maybe, she has a chance this time. She doesn't want her renewed hope to end in hearbreak, but since when has her heart listened to her mind?

He marveled at how he had never before fully appreciate how his teammate had filled out over the years. Curves in all the right places, mile-long creamy legs, a toned ass that taunted him every time she walked away, it seemed as if his hormones had been dormant until now. But he suspected it was something more than hormones, he found himself listening keenly for her light laugh when he was with her, and staring at her when she smiled. Naruto insults his masculinity because he hasn't made a move yet, but secretly he's afraid she doesn't love him anymore.

06. Together:

As they lie side-by-side under a canopy of clouds and stars she feels that her heart will burst with all the emotions she's feeling. She wraps her hand tightly around his larger one, and he tenderly kisses the top of her head. She wishes this moment can go on forever, but time stands still for no one. She stands up in front of him and he raises an eyebrow.

"We've changed a lot haven't we?" Sakura says as more of a statement than a question. Sasuke hums into her hair in agreement. "How long do you think we'll last?" She asks seriously, and he knows that she wants an answer. He looks up at the stars, as if they held the answer.

"Nothing endures but change," he offers. He knows it's not really what she wanted to hear. But it was the truth. He could make no promises, and neither could she. It came with their line of work. Who knew if they would even live to see tomorrow?

She bent down so they were eye to eye. He stared back at her soberly. "Well," she said, a smile curling her lips. "I love you now," the corner of his mouth lifted in response. She moved closer slowly, angling her head. His lips met hers in a tender kiss, conveying his unspoken words. _I love you too,_

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><p>"Nothing endures but change." – Heraclitus of Ephesus<p>

A/N: Hm how'd the format go for you readers? Something different! Review and you will get something. Maybe. :) Review please?


	3. Chapter 4

Prompt: burning/ignite  
>Disclaimer: all rights to Kishimoto-sensei!<p>

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><p>Everyone knew there was something there between them. A spark, that glittered brightly and fiercely. They were opposites in everything under the sun, but isn't it said that opposites attract?<p>

People saw the way he looked at her, or tried not to, and it was obvious she loved him. But somehow that spark dimmed until it glimmered dully under a blanket of loneliness. He left, and she was heartbroken, but she still hoped they could be.

He hurt her time and again and she hated that the spark had burned her, she tried to snuff it out, but he didn't let her; nor did he allow it to grow bright again. Her best friend saw that the spark was dying slowly, along with her friend. But she could do nothing to slow nor hasten the inevitable. She could only watch, like everyone else who cared.

But then, the unthinkable happened. He came back, and gave her hope again. He was unsure, and sorry, though he wouldn't show it, but she knew. And with every moment they spent together the spark grew brighter and beautiful. When he showed up at her door at half past five and stoically asked her if she wanted to grab dinner and maybe watch a couple of movies she felt as if this moment was even more precious because of all the hardships they faced.

Two years later he showed up at her door on the same day at half past five. He got down on one knee and stoically asked her if she wanted to spend the rest of her life with him and offered her a glittering ring that she suspected was worth more than she was. She felt the spark burn, and she knew he did too. It was a steady burning love that would never go away, though it might fade and come back every now and then.

She walked down the aisle in a white crèche dress, a veil on her head and her jade eyes bright. He stood in a black tuxedo, and when he turned she felt a wide smile spread on her face. His expression was filled with love, and though she knew it wasn't apparent to everybody she could see it in his eyes, the set of his mouth, the angle of his head. Uchiha Sasuke didn't look at just anybody like that. When their lips touched at the altar the spark didn't just burn, it had ignited with all the brightness of a thousand scintillating fireworks. A tear rolled down her cheek and he wiped it off gently with his thumb and gave her his signature smirk. _'I love you'_ it said, and she cried even harder.

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><p>"True love burns the brightest, but the brightest flames leave the deepest scars." - Anonymous<p>

A/N: Another different style. Vague-ish. I'm usually like OCD with documenting every second but I let this one..flow. Review or I'll let you flow! Erm no I don't know what that means.


	4. Chapter 5

Prompt: umbrella

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, unfortunately D:

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><p>'<em>Well it was fun while it lasted,' <em>Sasuke found himself thinking as he sprinted down a shady side-street at some ungodly hour of night. _'I'm already thinking like a damned man,' _he shook his head. He scaled a fence but didn't slow his pace; he would be foolish to think that would stop them. His sharp black eyes scanned his surroundings quickly. From the looks of it, he was in a residential neighborhood. This wouldn't do, he needed to get out of there. The neatly manicured lawns and plain wooden houses made him want to retch. This wasn't the life meant for him, though his parents thought it should be. _'No need to stroll down memory lane now,' _he reminded himself. He chanced a quick look behind him and put on a burst of speed.

His blue converse squeaked on the asphalt as he quickly changed directions, he was downtown now, not the safest of areas but a good place to confuse those bastards following him. Left, right, straight, right, left, right, right, his mind was hard-pressed to keep up with his body. His entire torso heaved with every breath, he was so goddamn tired. He ran a hand through his sweat-soaked hair and grimaced. He felt like hell, and he was sure he looked it too. Then the rain started falling.

"Tch," the first voluntary noise he had made so far. If there was one thing that Sasuke Uchiha hated (more than fangirls) it was the rain. It was cold and wet and it felt like every time it rained, the sky was weeping. Rain was a miserable thing.

He heard footsteps and his body forced him to speed up again from his jog. He ran into an alley and swore under his breath. The clichéd dead end. Now what? He turned to face the four men who were blocking the entrance. He knew there were more with them. One of them came to subdue him and he quickly assumed a defensive crouch. He was not going down without a fight. '_Enough with the cliché's already,' _his mind drawled. The first man came with a bat in hand, chuckling menacingly. Sasuke narrowed his onyx eyes, mind already working. The bat was a little splintered around a certain area, so that must be the weak point. Instead of waiting for the man to make the first move he sped towards him in a blur of movement. As expected the man brought the bat in front of him instinctively as a shield. With a swift roundhouse kick, the bat was halved and useless. With another, the the man holding it was knocked out.

Two more came out him while the last one lazily waited for them. With celerity they were both incapacitated and Sasuke stalked towards the last one.

"You know," The man remarked casually, and Sasuke was shocked to hear his voice had an almost snake-like hiss underlying it. "You're pretty ssstrong. And you have a nice body," The strange and now extremely creepy man licked his lips and Sasuke repressed a shudder.

"Go to hell," Sasuke said boldly. The man sighed and pulled out a gun from his trenchcoat and caressed it lovingly. Sasuke didn't bother running or turning away. He knew this was it. He felt it before he heard it, a burning, searing, pain in his abdomen. Then a numbness surrounded the area. With every heaving breath he felt more light-headed as if the harder he tried to breathe the less his oxygen intake. He could feel a warm trickle on his rain-chilled skin, and supposed it was his blood pouring onto the wet concrete.

He could feel his life ebbing away even as he tried to hold on. He squinted up at the sky. He was dying in the rain. What a sad picture. He closed his eyes for what he was sure was the last time. Sasuke Uchiha was going to die in the rain. He heard a worried voice and wondered offhandedly if he was going to heaven or hell, or if there even were such things. The voice grew louder and louder and he felt like shushing it. It was a woman's voice. Suddenly, the rain stopped. But he could still hear it. His eyes snapped open in surprise. A pair of bright green eyes met his, wide with worry.

"Hold on! I can help you, I can save you!" She said desperately. He simply stared at her and she nodded before moving to work on his injury. She made a ridiculous picture. Her atrociously bright bubble-gum pink hair, and equally bright green eyes made her look like someone out of Candyland. _'I can save you' _she had said. He turned his gaze to the blue and pink polka-dotted umbrella above his head and felt like laughing. She already had.

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><p>"Let love be your umbrella<br>To shield you from the rain  
>That falls from clouds of sadness<br>And causes you such pain"

-Moonlight 

A/N: Yeah so I tried this once and it sucked and this is the second time and I liked it better. So voila! I hope you like it!


	5. Chapter 6

Prompt: Hello/Goodbye

Disclaimer: Hello! Don't own Naruto. Goodbye!

Celebrate SasuSaku month!

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><p>She was always saying hello, and he was always saying goodbye.<p>

Her bright pink hair was a "HELLO! LOOK AT ME". Her cheerful voice and melodious laugh said "Hello! Talk to me! Laugh with me!"

He was a goodbye. His lips were always frowning. _Goodbye, don't talk to me. _His eyes were narrowed. _Goodbye, don't look at me. _His body continually turned away. _Goodbye, why are you even here? _

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><p>"Sakura," he said impatiently. He leaned against her desk, one hand casually tapping the wall, the other in the pocket of his black pants.<p>

"Hm?" Her head whipped around in a flurry of pink and bright green eyes met dark onyx ones.

"I'm going to a meeting. When I return, I expect a coffee on my desk," He paused before walking away. "Goodbye,"

Sakura hated the word. It was so final, as if whomever said goodbye would never see her again. She preferred a 'See ya 'round!' or 'Bye!' but if she knew anything about the Uchiha's, it was that they would never lower themselves to the level of 'mere commoners'. She rolled her verdant eyes and checked his meeting times, typing rapidly on her computer, she knew that if she didn't get that coffee in time, Sasuke would be pissed.

She stood in line at the local Starbucks, her thoughts fixated on Sasuke. A white woolen cap sat on her wind-touseled pink hair and her cheeks were flushed with the cold. Everyone glanced at this girl who was so obviously lost in her thhoughts and smiled to themselves. Old ladies and gents who walked by said "Oh that girl is in love!" And she was. But unfortunately the secretary never got the prestigious lawyer, did she?

"Excuse me miss, can I help you?" The man at the counter grinned at her boyishly and she smiled back.

"Yes please! Could I have a tall Pike Place Roast coffee please?" she rattled off. Sasuke had her fetching coffee so often she knew it by heart. The cashier raised an eyebrow.

"That's some strong coffee for a woman like you?"

"Oh it's not for me," Sakura laughed. He sighed melodramatically.

"Go figure. You have a boyfriend. Should've guessed. Pretty lady like you? Couldn't be single," Sakura blushed at the thought of Sasuke being her boyfriend. How many times had she imagined it?

"No, no! It's for my boss!" She giggled as his expression lit up and his boyish grin made a reappearance. As he slid the coffee onto the counter he added a Post-it along with it and winked at her. Sakura thanked him and exited the shop, glancing down at the sticky note.

**6 PM **

**Sushi House, Walford Center,**

**Meet me there? **

**Dan ;D**

Maybe she could make it tonight, she mused as she walked briskly back to the office building. She put down the coffee on Sasuke's desk, just as he opened the door. Unbeknownst to her, the sticky note also found itself on the polished wood, innocently bearing it's message for all to see. She passed him on the way out with a cheerful "Hello!"

She didn't wait for a reply. She knew that he never said hello back, though she always wished he would. That one word would show that he at least acknowledged her presence. She sighed, this train of thought would get her nowhere at least she could try to do something productive.

Sasuke emerged from his office looking irritated. Sakura's eyes widened, what had she done? In his fist he held a crumpled piece of yellow paper.

"Keep your private life separate from your work life, Haruno," he said coldly as he thrust the wrinkled note onto her desk. His emerald-eyed secretary's mouth opened in disbelief. He never called her Haruno! She could have screamed in frustration. How far was that stick shoved up his ass, anyways? She bet he could taste it in his mouth, that's why he had her getting him coffee every other hour. She stuck out her tongue at his back.

He slammed the door shut and tried to organize his jumbled thoughts. It wasn't very business-like of him to explode like that. But when he imagined her on a date with this Dan, thought of him touching Sakura, his fists clenched and his knuckles turned white. He clenched his jaw angrily, trying to calm himself down. He needed to get ahold of himself

Months passed and the incident was forgotten, pushed to the back of both of their minds. Sakura dated Dan, whose attention she found refreshing. She felt like a flower who had withered away in the cold, and Dan was her sunshine. She became happier and happier, and it showed. However as Sasuke watched her grow happier, he grew more and more irate and moody. He would never admit it to himself but he hated that another man was making her happy. Finally, he decided he couldn't take it anymore.

"Sakura," he said impatiently. He leaned against her desk, one hand casually tapping the wall, the other in the pocket of his black pants.

"Hm?" Her head whipped around in a flurry of pink and bright green eyes met dark onyx ones. They were both instantly reminded of the day their relationship had changed so drastically. The day Sakura met Dan. The day Sasuke had his little tantrum. Sasuke's hand fisted in his pocket, and Sakura looked vaguely uncomfortable. He closed his eyes, steeling himself. It had to be done, he reminded himself.

"You're fired," he said coolly. She simply sat in her chair, looking up at him with confusion which was slowly turning into shock.

"...Excuse...me?" He stared down at her imperiously.

"You're fired for letting your personal life interfere with your performance," he said without batting an eyelash. The shock on her face was quickly turning into pure, unadulterated, fury. She shot up from her chair.

"What? My personal life has done nothing whatsoever to my performance, as you like to put it. I think it's something else that's bothering you about my personal life, Sasuke-kun. Maybe the fact that I have one and you don't," she knew what she was saying was petty, but she felt petty and a little spiteful, and so angry she was surprised she was even coherent. Satisfaction filled her as Sasuke's eyes narrowed and a vein in his jaw jumped angrily. Her little jibe had hit a little too close to home. She hadn't guessed it exactly, but it still rankled.

She left before he could see the tears. Before he could hurt her even more. But she hadn't left soon enough.

"Goodbye," she hears as she storms out the door. Sitting in her car she breaks down. She flips open her phone and calls Dan.

"Hello?" He says. That one word. She sobs into the reciever and he tries to reassure her even though he has no idea what's wrong.

"Where are you? I'll be right over," He says, worry evident in his tone.

"N-no, I'll come to your place," she says in a quavering voice.

Three years passed since that fateful day. Sasuke went through secretary after secretary. He was successful, rich, and alone. He found that the memory of Sakura haunted him every time he passed her desk. What used to be her desk. The Uchiha walked down to the Starbucks to get his coffee, since he had always regretted sending Sakura that day.

A flash of pink in the corner of his eye caught his attention. He saw her at the forefront of the crowd and his eyes widened. He dodged and swerved and pushed against the swell of people until she was close enough to grab. He pulled on her arm and she collided with his chest. She looked up at him in confusion. Recognition and hurt were spelled out across her pretty features. She avoided his gaze and suddenly he was unsure of himself. They stood there for a moment as the crowd surged around them. He stared at her with words on the tip of his tongue.

"Hello," he said hesitantly. She snapped her gaze back to his. Her eyes filled with tears. She slowly raised her right hand. A diamond ring sat perched upon her aptly named ring finger. His eyes widened.

"Sakura-" She shook her head. Her pink hair was longer now and it flew in all directions as she moved her head. Tears were streaming down her face and he saw that her chest was heaving with muffled sobs.

"Goodbye," She choked out and fled. Sasuke stood with his arm still outstretched, shock on his face. The word that she hated so much rang in his ears with finality. Closure at last. _Goodbye.. _He smirked bitterly. He knew what she meant. _We won't be meeting again. _

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><p>"You say yes, I say no<br>You say goodbye and I say hello  
>I say hello<br>Hello, hello  
>I don't know why you say goodbye<br>I say hello

Why,  
>Do you say good bye<br>Goodbye,"

- The Beatles, Hello Goodbye

A/N: My, my, how angsty of me. This is for you Germprince! Sasuke suffering. :D


	6. Chapter 7

Prompt: Fix You by Coldplay

Disclaimer: Kishimoto owns Naruto, Coldplay owns Fix You. And what am I left with? Your reviews. Review please!

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><p>Sakura lay in bed, trying so hard to sleep. A full days work had exhausted her, and when all she wanted was to lose herself to that dreamless state, she couldn't. She got out of bed, deciding that just this once she would accept defeat. She slipped on her red vest and signature skirt and walked out into the night. She closed her eyes, savoring the wind in her hair and the quiet where only crickets chirped merrily away. Peace was so hard to come by, and as a shinobi she knew that firsthand. The medic started walking aimlessly in an arbitrary direction and quickly became lost in her own thoughts.<p>

Sasuke. Sasuke. Sasuke. However hard she tried not to think of him, he had been plaguing her thoughts all night. And it seemed that her feet had led her to him. He was sitting on that damn bench, looking up at the stars.

She twiddled with the hem of her skirt, unsure whether to proceed or not. He looked at her, when he heard her approach. He looked ethereal in the moonlight. His face pale and aristocratic, his hair was jet-black which was even more emphasized by the shadows around them. He gazed at her with an unreadable expression but her green eyes refused to waver. They could both feel it in the air around them, crackling with tension. Tonight was the climax of what they were, could be, and would become. His onyx eyes dared her to walk away. To leave the cloud of uknown that perpetually surrounded them alone.

She lifted her chin high, and her green eyes were hard and steady. She took a couple step towards him.

"I couldn't sleep," she admitted softly.

"Obviously," he said dryly, then turned away from her. "I couldn't either,"

He had changed from the avenger he had become. Reverted, shecouldn't say. But he seemed older, less confident in the invincibility of his youth. The pink-haired woman figured it was the onset of all the thigs he'd seen. They'd all aged so much. But she knew he wouldn't appreciate it. Hell, he would probably pull Kusanagi on her. She took another couple steps forward, relishing the fact that the Uchiha was now looking mildly uncomfortable at their proximity. She plopped herself down on the bench next to him and he hned in acknowledgement.

"I have a question," he said quietly. Almost too quietly, so that she had to pause for a moment to process what she had heard in her mind. She simply looked at him.

"Do you still love me?" he asked. Of all things Sakura would never have guessed this.

"I do. But both of us have changed," she warned. He looked at her, surprised she had admitted it so easily. He was expecting a little more protest on her part. She rolled her eyes.

"What good would it do me denying it? No matter what I say you'll just step on my heart again," Sasuke winced. He knew that he had treated her like trash, and she hadn't deserved any of it. Naruto had pounded that into his skull from day one in the hospital. But he was different now. They were different. But neither of them were whole.

"You know, I think we're perfect for each other," he said. He wagered if she could surprise him why not turn the tables. However he didn't get the reaction he was looking for. She looked at him sadly. He could see in her green eyes something broken, that which never would be. "We're broken together," he said at last as the silence dragged on.

When had this happened, he wondered. Usually he was the one stopping the conversation in it's tracks, not pursuing it. He put a hand on her chest. He wanted to feel her heart beat under his palm. Wanted assurance that she was indeed broken. It seemed she couldn't be fazed tonight. She looked down at his hand then back at his face without much emotion.

"_I'm_ broken," she clarified. "I have all the pieces of my heart. You have lost something, something you cannot replace." Here she placed her hand on his muscular chest. Feeling the strong beat of a healthy heart her own pulse raced. "I can feel the hole in your heart, Sasuke-kun,"

Something surged through him hearing his name escape her lips. He eyed them, pink and pouty, ripe for the picking. They stayed like that for an eternity, electricity in the air. The intimate gesture was not sexual, nor was it without sexual tension. It was an endless circle.

"Sakura," Sasuke said, breaking the spell. She withdrew her hand quickly and held it to her own chest, missing the warmth of his body. He also moved his hand. He looked at the meager lights from the village behind them. "Let's go home," her face lit up at his reference to her beloved village as home. However she didn't seem to want to move. Her emerald eyes were hesitant. She bit her lip worriedly. It made Sasuke want to soothe that worry with his own lips.

"Sasuke I cannot forget," she said and tears streamed down her face, tears neither of them expected. She pressed a hand to her chest in an imitation of their earlier position. "I'm broken, remember?" her voice hitched. Keeping eye contact with her he bent his head down to press a gentle kiss to her lips. He could keep his desires at bay no longer. Not simply lust, though that were there to be sure, but the urge to be with her emotionally and physically. She stared up at him with glassy eyes. He could see the all-knowing stars reflected in those pools of emerald. "I'll try to fix you," he promised.

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><p>"When you feel so tired, but you can't sleep<br>Lights will guide you home  
>And ignite your bones<br>Tears stream down on your face  
>I promise you I will learn from my mistakes<p>

And I will try to fix you"

A/N: OOC Sasuke but I like this one a lot. review please! It means a lot.


	7. Chapter 8

Prompt: Satisfaction/Snoop

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or I would be very satisfied :D

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><p>Sakura caught Sasuke's interest in a rather unorthodox manner and an equally unorthodox situation. He was passing Ichiraku's when a flash of pink caught his attention. He counted three heads: black, blond, and bright bubblegum pink. He couldn't help but feel a twinge of envy. It should be him sitting there instead of that emotionless moron, Sai. He walked over, racking his brains for an excuse to talk to them. Sasuke narrowed his onyx eyes.<p>

Naruto was trying to feed Sakura his precious ramen, and she had no bowl in front of her. Instantly the gears in his mind started whirring. Was this some ridiculous new diet? So Sasuke in his search for an excuse said the first thing that came to his mind. "Dieting is stupid...train instead. Then you'll get stronger _and _lose that weight," the Uchiha had meant it only as helpful advice, he thought it was a perfectly logical approach to the situation.

So when Sakura stood up with a menacing look on her face and chakra in her fist he was taken aback. Naruto looked gleeful and Sai had a polite smile on his blank face. Then just as suddenly, the fire went out of his teammates emerald eyes and her hand fell limply to her side.

"You wouldn't understand," she said in what he would have classified as a sneer, if it hadn't been Sakura. Naruto looked at him with something akin to pity. "You're a real moron," he said sadly. Sasuke rolled his eyes. "Dobe, you're the moron here. Now tell me what's up with Sakura,"

"Traitor, Ugly is not dieting. She simply wasn't eating because she couldn't afford it," Sai cut in, surprising the Uchiha and the blond. Sasuke was taken aback for the second time in the past half an hour. Coming from a prosperous clan, and having nobody else to spend his money, nor anyone to spend his money on, Sasuke had never been lacking money. And here Sakura was literally starving for lack of it. It was something that interested him. He was about to grill Naruto for more information, but he and Sai were already bickering.

"Dickless,"

"Don't call me that you bastard!"

"But it's the truth, Dickless,"

"AGH THAT'S IT!"

Sasuke decided that he was going to have to find information on Sakura's financial status elsewhere.

"Welcome and how may I help you?" Ino Yamanaka said in a bored voice as she examined her blonde hair for split ends. He raised his eyebrows and she finally looked up, unnerved by the silence. She narrowed her icy blue eyes.

"Oh it's you," she said in a disgruntled voice. "What do you want?" Sasuke could practically hear the unsaid 'traitor' at the end of that sentence ringing in the air between them. He decided to cut straight to the point.

"Why is Sakura so poor?" He asked bluntly. Ino raised a perfect eyebrow.

"What's it to you?" she countered. He honestly couldn't answer that question so he just glared at her instead. She raised her hands in submission. "Alright, no need to get your panties in a twist," she quipped. She started examining her cuticles.

"Sakura has no money. Her mother died about a year after you left of some sickness, and her dad followed soon afterwards in an accident. That's part of what drove her to become such a great medic," Sasuke could hear the pride in her voice. When he turned his gaze back to Ino after the pause turned lengthy, he found that she was looking at him scrutinizingly for some reaction. When she found none she continued.

"It turned out that her parents owed the bank a pretty penny, and so they took everything from her. She even lived with Naruto for a while before she was able to purchase her apartment, and even now paying rent is basically sucking her bank account dry since she still owes," Sasuke hned and kept fingering a potted orchid when he heard a slam on the counter. Ino had stood up and was glaring at him heatedly. She had slammed her hand down on the wood, which was what had made the loud sound.

"I hope you have the decency to do something with this information," she pointed at him accusingly, "especially after all you've put her through!" She humphed and stormed into the back room, coming out with a pot of purple hyacinths. "Here give her this," she thrust it at him roughly. The entire outburst reminded him of Tsunade. It seemed that Sakura was mysteriously pulled towards these loud obnoxious blonds.

He knocked on Sakura's door awkwardly. He hadn't visited her since he came back a little over a year ago. He hadn't even known her parents had passed away. When she opened the door she looked haggard. "Sasuke-kun," he could hear the surprise coloring her tone. She didn't open the door fully, instead opting for keeping it partially ajar.

"Uhh..." she dead-panned. He couldn't blame her. This visit was unexpected and out of the blue. He held out the pot of purple hyacinths. As she fingered their velvet petals her expression grew suspicious and she searched his face. He wondered what the flowers meant. With a strained smile she thanked him then slammed the door in his face. Sasuke was tempted to just leave, but Ino's angry words rang in his ears.

"_I hope you have the decency to do something with this information," she pointed at him accusingly, "especially after all you've put her through!"_

He sighed and knocked again. She opened the door, glowering at him.

"I know that you have no money, Sakura," he started. Her eyes widened in mock surprise.

"Wow you know so much about me Sasuke-kun! Should we get married right away?" He glared at her.

"I was wondering if you wanted...help. With your situation," he said awkwardly. Her expression softened and he thought there was a small smile in her eyes. "No," she said softly. "Thank you Sasuke-kun," she closed the door again. Sasuke sighed and turned away. That annoying Yamanaka couldn't blame him now, could she? After all, he had tried to help. As he walked away from Sakura's apartment he tried to ignore the little prick of guilt in the back of his mind.

He was reporting for a mission when he heard Tsunade's voice loud and clear through her closed door.

"This man did what?" And a very familiar voice answered angrily.

"Shishou, it wasn't that big of a deal. I could take care of him, it was just a civilian,"

"But, Sakura, if a civilian could get in, what shinobi couldn't?" Tsunade argued. Sasuke decided to screw knocking and he walked in. Tsunade looked slyly at him then back to Sakura.

"Sakura, what exactly happened? I'm sure Sasuke's dying to know, since he _didn't knock,_" she said in a sugary tone. Sakura looked at him warily.

"No I'm sure he really doesn't care—"

The words came out of his mouth before his mind caught up.

"Tell me Sakura," Her mouth hung open in surprise and she turned a little pink. The medic rubbed the back of her neck in what Sasuke could only assume was embarrassment.

"Well I came home and it was a mess. There was a man in my bedroom going through my...stuff," she finished lamely. Tsunade rolled her honey colored eyes. "They were going through her panty drawer, basically," Sakura coughed loudly.

"And then he tried to...make a move, and I incapacitated him," she finished hastily. Tsunade clarified again, "He tried to have sex with her," Sakura wouldn't meet his eyes. One of his hands fisted.

"Sakura this is extremely irresponsible of you," Sasuke snapped. Tsunade leaned back in her chair looking smug. "Can I talk to you outside?" She looked to her mentor for help but the Hokage simply waved them away with a manicured hand.

"What?" Sakura snapped as soon as they were outside the Hokage's office.

"What kind of a shinobi are you that a mere civilian can break and enter your home? Have you no sense of self-preservation?" The Uchiha said coldly. Sakura's glare turned murderous.

"Well if that's all then I'll just be going then," she said in an equally cold voice. Sasuke grabbed her pale arm as she made to leave. She immediately wrenched it away as if burned and he tried to pretend the action didn't hurt him.

"Sakura," he called. His smooth voice had lost it's hard coating. The pink-haired medic turned and looked at him with flinty jade eyes.

"I think you should stay with me," he decided. Her jaw went slack and she sputtered. He was reminded of the Sakura he once knew for a brief split-second. But then her emerald eyes flashed fiercely again and he wondered where the Sakura had gone that would have probably fainted had he said such a statement before.

"What are you talking about?" she practically spat.

"Sakura, if you can't protect yourself and I know that you're struggling to pay rent, then you should just come stay with me. It's the easiest option," he said in a bored voice. The door that they were standing in front of were flung open and the Hokage stood there, robes billowing, arms crossed over her endowed chest. "That's a great idea!" she said in a booming voice. "Sakura Haruno you are hereby ordered to live with Sasuke Uchiha!"

"I, bu- wha?" Sakura said incoherently then turned to Sasuke. "Fine." She said sharply and stalked off. Later that day he saw her at Yamanaka's shop and by the looks of it she was shouting at Ino. Sasuke creeped a little closer to be within hearing distance.

"Pig I know that you told him about the rent, and he showed up at my house with these," here she slammed the pot of hyacinths on the counter so hard the wood splintered. Ino winced. "which has your name written all over it! He didn't go to find flowers for me, he was just snooping around! I bet you shoved these into his face!" She was dead on and she could see it in Ino's eyes. Her gaze softened. "Look I know you were trying to help, but he's an arrogant self-centered jackass and nothing you can do will change that,"

Sasuke was waiting for her inside the Uchiha gates when she came carrying four or five cardboard boxes. "Where's the rest of your stuff?" he asked searchingly. She laughed. "This is it. I decided not to bring the furniture since they were all pieces of shit anyways. Sasuke frowned. He had seen the threadbare furniture her apartment boasted and couldn't say he didn't agree.

He led her to her room silently and left, to mull over the consequences of his rash actions. He didn't think the thought to have Sakura live with him had actually crossed his mind, he had just blurted it out. However he couldn't honestly say he was displeased or unhappy with the decision.

When he came back to her room she was fully unpacked and flopped on her bed. "Are you going to kick me out?" she asked hopefully as she saw him. He shook his head and her face fell. His female teammate scowled at him. "Are you satisfied now?" He smirked in response and her eyes widened and she looked away, a blush gracing her porcelain cheeks. He held something out to her and she stared at the potted purple hyacinths before pushing them away. "Sasuke-kun," she said quietly, "You should mean it,"

"But I do, Sakura," he said in a low voice. "I'm sorry,"

* * *

><p><span>Things you should know:<span>

-Purple hyacinths are flowers of apology-

"A man who is always satisfied with himself is seldom so with others, and others as little pleased with him." - Francois de la Rochefoucauld

I thought this quote described Sasuke nicely. :)

A/N: So I got lazy and combined snoop and satisfaction into the same one. Heheheh. Sue me. On second thought please don't. Review please! And I'll give you dark pink roses! Now look that up. ;)


	8. Chapter 9

Prompt: home  
>Disclaimer: Naruto is Kishimotos. Not mine. *sob*<p>

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><p>She tasted the smoke in her mouth before she saw the giant fireball from her perch in the tree. Sakura gasped as it burned her lungs and after the heat had subsided she jumped off the charred limb and onto the scorched ground. As they say, out of the frying pan and into the fire.<p>

"Sakhra...what are you doing?" his voice was weary, and she longed to smooth it and soothe it. Take away all the pain. But she knew she couldn't. So she put away that age-old urge, folding it neatly and tucking it away into a deep drawer filled with Sasuke. She bit her lip. He wasn't supposed to know she was here, but she hadn't counted on him burning away half the forest.

Sasuke raised an eyebrow and she was painfully reminded of the Sasuke she once knew. "Sasuke-kun. I...wanted to see you," she said and felt Iike cringing. It was something so reminiscent of her former self. The nostalgia hit. She could almost pretend that they weren't broken and bruised. That they hadn't become so accustomed to loss.

Sasuke seemed to notice the relapse too. A smirk played around his lips. "You wanted to see...me." he repeated mockingly.

"I wanted to make sure..." _you weren't broken beyond repair. That you could still feel. That you were still alive.  
><em>  
>"Hn" <em>thank you, but I don't know.<em>

Sakura held out her hand and he stared at the pale slender digits uncomprehendingly. She swallowed, wondering if they kept up this facade for long enough, things could go back to being how they were.

"Sasuke-kun," was it his imagination or did she sound almost whole again? "let's go home," she looked pointedly back the way they had come. He grabbed her hand suddenly and pinned it against her back and pulling her to him.

"Sakura...you think things can just go back to the way they were?" he hissed in her ear. But then his body started acting against him. His carefully honed senses started noticing things he wished they wouldn't. Her proximity to him, the way she was panting and how she gasped when he tightened his bruising grip on her wrist. The fragrance of her pink hair and porcelain skin.

She arched her back in response, trying to get away from him. The emerald-eyed medic elbowed his solar plexus and disabled his chakra system temporarily with a well-placed chakra scalpel. She walked up to him and stared hard into his unreadable onyx eyes. "Sasuke I'm just trying to-" she was silenced as he kissed her. Her emerald eyes were wide and somewhat dazed when he pulled away. "Kun" he corrected huskily.

"What?" she said confused. "Sasuke...kun" he explained. "and I am home," he added as the Uchiha leaned in to take another kiss.

* * *

><p>"Home is where the heart is." - Pliny the Elder<p>

I thought the quote fit well. :)

A/N: Ugh Sasuke stop being so bipolar and weird! Wait this is my fault... Sorry readers! :( I know it doesn't really make sense.. SUMIMASEN! Definitely not happy with the way this came out. Review to make me feel better? ;) I'm so tricky.


	9. Chapter 10

Prompt: self-sacrifice  
>Disclaimer: it is self sacrificing of me to not own naruto. No, I do not know what that means.<p>

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><p>Sakura always thought that self-sacrifice was by definition something selfless. How could it not be? She had thought. But in all her experiences, the self-sacrifice she had witnessed was indeed selfish <em>selfish<em> _selfish_.

Sasuke sacrificed so much to get his precious revenge. His happiness, his bonds, his brother. It didn't matter what stood in the way. He was ready to sacrifice his very life, for something that would get him nothing in return. Nothing but hollow feelings and emptiness. But it was a selfish, selfish thing. He paid no heed to the pain it brought herself and Naruto, to see him self-sacrifice. And therefore it was selfish.

Naruto self-sacrificed to stop Sasuke's self-sacrifice, and it was a twisted vicious circle. Even Naruto, someone who was one of the most selfless people Sakura knew was selfish in this. He would fight to within an inch of his life, just to bring Sasuke back, regardless of the multitudes of people (almost a whole village's worth!) who relied on him. Regardless of her, to whom he was like a brother. Regardless of Hinata, and her quiet, steady love.

Sakura...self-sacrificed to stop the circle of Naruto and Sasuke. She gave her life (Ino would never let her forget it) to two causes, both of them selfish. She wanted to make sure Naruto didn't die, because without him she would be lost for the rest of her days. She needed him so much more than he needed her it was painful to even think about life without him. The second...to bring Sasuke back. However much she lied to herself and denied it, she still loved him. But not the selfless love where she was willing to let him go because he didn't love her back. No her love was as selfish as it gets.

Sakura knew firsthand that selfish self-sacrifice didn't make one happy. But as she and Sasuke kissed she felt disgusted at her lack of disgust. As they exchanged needy, gaping kisses full of nothing but passionate energy she wondered if maybe she could find it within herself to be selfless just this once. As she stared into his eyes, his dark eyes she was struck by his sudden sense of vulnerability.

In this dingy tavern where they had met again, sparks had flown and she had found herself in this situation by chance. By chance. The words echoed in her head. She wanted so desperately for it not to have been by chance. For him to have actively chosen not to avoid her no doubt recognizable chakra signature. But thinking like that would just get her heart broken again. Her attention was drawn back to the situation at present.

His hands undid the bindings at her chest slowly, giving her time to push him away. But she knew he didn't think she would. Here, in this moment she had dreamed about Too Many Times, she was faced with a decision. She could give herself to the man that she loved, even though he didn't love her. Simply because he needed her now. Would this have been worth it once upon a time? She wondered as her hands stayed his. He looked at her with thinly veiled shock.

"Obviously your love for me has faded.." he sneered.

Sakura smiled sadly. "No, Sasuke, I think the real answer is clear. You and I simply cannot find it within ourselves to be selfless."

"I disagree. We're both well-trained in the art of self-sacrifice." he said bitterly. Sakura blinked once. This was as close to regretting his decisions as she had ever heard. She put her hand on his knee and her confidence was bolstered as he didn't recoil or viciously attack her.

"One day you'll see. It's not the same. When you find someone truly selfless, kiss me with some feeling. It's fitting: you and I both know neither of these things are going to happen." she laughed lightly and the sound was without malice. She got up and started putting her shirt back on.

When she turned around she was met by Sasuke's lips and they were so tender and gentle that she literally melted into his arms. Breathing hard, she pressed her forehead against his chest, feeling the rhythm of his heartbeat pound in her skull.

"and Sakura," he said in a low voice, and she could feel the vibrations against her head. "I already found someone selfless. Their self-sacrifice puts everyone elses to shame," her eyes filled with tears that she hastily willed away. She knew about Itachi and Konoha. She nodded in silent agreement and they stayed like that. A man and a woman who were too selfish to leave each other. And that was their self-sacrifice.

* * *

><p>"The sacrifice that causes sorrow to the doer of the sacrifice is no sacrifice. Real sacrifice lightens the mind of the doer and gives him a sense of peace and joy." - Mahatma Gandhi<p>

A great quote from a great man.

A/N: eh. Decentish. Sacrifice some of your precious time and review please! It means a lot :)


	10. Chapter 11

Prompt: scent  
>Disclaimer: I wish, readers, I wish<p>

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><p>Yes he was consumed with revenge and hatred and overall angst, but Sasuke was not immune to common emotions like irritation. Which was something he was suffering from at the moment.<p>

Karin was screeching like a banshee, Suigetsu's loud grating tone was getting obnoxious fast, and all of this combined with the incessant chattering of Jugo's little animals were giving him what he suspected was the mother of all headaches.

Instead of losing his cool and screaming at them to shut the hell up like the devil on his shoulder was telling him to, he simply rose from around the fire, paused for intimidation, then stalked away into the shadows.

He was rewarded with a moment of silence as his dramatic exit was noticed, before Karin (damn her) started shrieking about how Sasuke had beckoned her into his arms, or some other such nonsense, with the way he left. The Uchiha rolled his eyes and stopped her in her tracks with a fierce glare. He wanted to be alone, or at least somewhere quiet, why couldn't she get that through her thick ugly skull?

He settled himself against the trunk of some tree on the outskirts of their camp, savoring the silence. He glared irritably at every critter that crunched a leaf underfoot, and for good measure glared at the leaf too.

He stared at the darkness for God knows how long, who knew when such a peaceful moment might come again. But then, he became distracted. He smelled something, a hint, a wisp, a faint trace of lilies in the air. It seemed familiar and he frowned slightly. He knew it wasn't Karin. Her sickly sweet perfume had attributed to his headaches many a time, to the point where he had requested her not to wear it. Of course, she had persisted. But this was different, it brought pure white lilies to mind, and sunshine, and laughter, and other things he had long left behind. Things from the past that had no place in his new world.

It smelled like... but no that was impossible. "Karin, come here," Sasuke ordered tersely. He closed his eyes so he wouldn't have to see her jump for joy. Not to mention that nauseating look she got on her face whenever he said her name.

"Who's been here?" He asked while inspecting a leaf that had fallen to the ground only minutes before. The redhead closed her eyes, trying to pick out a chakra signature.

"A woman. Medic, I think, from the soothing nature of the chakra. I think it feels familiar...maybe when we met... Konoha?" Karin cocked her head dubiously and frowned, unsure. But Sasuke had heard enough. Sakura had been here. Who knows how long ago. "The chakra traces are still strong," Karin ventured "I'm guessing less than a week ago,"

Sasuke smirked. Maybe they'd...run into each other somewhere. Coincidentally, of course.

* * *

><p>"As perfume doth remain In the folds where it hath lain, So the thought of you, remaining Deeply folded in my brain, Will not leave me: all things leave me: You remain." - Arthur Symons<p>

A/N: Short but sweet, what do you think? Review! :)


	11. Chapter 12

Prompt: shatter

Disclaimer: My hopes and dreams of owning Naruto have been shattered.

* * *

><p>"Sasuke-kun get out," Sakura said tiredly after taking her shoes out at the front door. She walked swiftly into her bedroom, and the Uchiha followed her in. When she started stripping her lab coat off and started unzipping her red shirt he stared at her. She stopped and sighed.<p>

"Aren't you going to turn around?" The pinkette sighed, exasperated. He coughed awkwardly and turned around. Sakura picked up a glass vase and imagined herself throwing it at his head. The image was a little more satisfying than it should have been. Screw that, she had every right to feel satisfied after throwing something at his head. Though she would have preferred that something to be less breakable. Maybe like a boulder. She put it down, shaking her head.

Sasuke started tapping his foot impatiently so she made sure to take off her clothes extra slowly. Just to screw with him. She had every right. After all... he'd – Sakura stopped that train of thought in it's tracks. Nope, not going down that road.

Sasuke was getting impatient. Really, he had tried his hardest to wait for her, but there was a reason he was there. A small crease formed between his eyebrows. Why was he here again? Why couldn't he think of it? It wasn't because of the unzipping of zippers and the rustle of clothes hitting the floor behind him, right? Of course not. Oh yes he was here because Naruto sent him to ask Sakura to train with them. He scowled thinking of the dobe. Why couldn't he have just asked her himself? Because he had a stupid date with Hinata.

"Sorry, almost done!" Sakura called behind him. He closed his onyx eyes and tried to remember breathing exercises. Almost done? It had been almost 10 minutes already!

Sakura snickered to herself. She could practically see the smoke fuming from the Uchiha's ears. The med-nin congratulated herself on making the stoic Uchiha react to her actions. She had every right to make him angry especially after he – nope. Sakura stopped thinking about the past one more time. Clad in panties and her bra she willed herself to think of anything other than Sasuke. It definitely didn't help that he was standing right in front of her. In fact, she was pretty sure that if she reached out and leaned forward a bit she would be able to touch his shoulder.

While Sakura had her mental battle, Sasuke was having one of his own as well. She had to be done. Didn't she? He could turn around now. Right? She ought to be at least mostly decent. Shouldn't she? So Sasuke acted on his impulses again and felt his ears burn as if they were on fire. Sakura stared back at him, feeling a little cold. Oh, wait, that's right, she wasn't wearing clothes. So she did what any other self-respecting woman would have done. She grabbed the glass vase sitting handily in arms-reach and chucked it at Sasuke Uchiha's head with inhuman strength. He dodged and it hit the wall behind him and shattered. She gasped and her eyes filled with tears.

Sasuke looked wary, and just a little panicked. He understood why she threw the vase at his head, but why was she crying? Why were women such temperamental and fickle creatures? The green-eyed medic stomped her foot and pouted, tears streaming down her face.

"You jerk! That was my favorite vase!" She said. Sasuke gaped at her like a fish out of water. He had thought she would be more upset because he saw her in her underclothes, but she was making no move to cover herself up. At all. Sasuke felt heat creep up his neck.

"What was I supposed to do? Let it hit me in the face?" He asked angrily to cover up his embarrassment. Sakura huffed. "Yes you moron!" He was taken aback. "I'll...buy you a new vase," he said, mostly to stop the murder rampage she was sure to go on if he acted like he normally did.

"A more expensive one," she said, sniffing.

They stood in line next to each other at the most expensive glass store in Konoha. Everything in it was hand-made, and did we mention expensive?

"You know Sasuke-kun," Sakura said conversationally, now totally appeased. Sasuke looked at her warily. "I think I had a fit because that's what you did to my heart." Now he looked confused. "I gave it to you and it's not like you did it on purpose, but you dodged and it shattered," he looked down at his feet. "But it's ok, Sasuke. You will clean up your mess," she looked at him steadily, "won't you?" Sasuke gazed back at her with unwavering eyes. "Aa," he said. She grinned deviously. "And the mess at my apartment too, I hope," she laughed lightly. Sasuke shook his head. Women.

* * *

><p>"Love's boat has been shattered against the life of everyday. You and I are quits, and it's useless to draw up a list of mutual hurts, sorrows, and pains."- Vladimir Mayakovsky<p>

A/N: I went for the humor this time! (for once) Hope you liked~~


	12. Chapter 13

Prompt: summer  
>Disclaimer: Me no own Naruto~<p>

I'm sorry I'm so behind... I very irresponsibly left my laptop at a friends house.. hehehe. Sorry again! :)

* * *

><p>Sakura was used to one answer to one question.<p>

"How would you describe me?"

"Like..." the person she was asking, usually coinciding with the person she was dating would gaze at her for a moment. She knew what they saw, her Sakura-pink hair, her leaf-green eyes. They would ponder the question for another moment. She knew what they thought of her-, her name - cherry-blossom. Her attitude, cheerful, light, airy. She would smile at them encouragingly, praying they wouldn't say:

"Sakura-chan, you're like the spring of course!"

Or in a worst case scenario, usually occurring with Lee:

"Sakura-chan, you embody and are the epitome of the glorious springtime of youth!"

Then she would sigh and laugh and pretend she hadn't heard it a million times. So when she lay in Sasuke's arms, reading a magazine she was seized by an urge to ask him. The glossy papers of the magazine she was holding prompted her to, as well.

'For a serious relationship, it's very important to know what the other person thinks of you. Communication is vital, so that you know if the person you're in a relationship with has an image of you you don't think you fit,"

The pink-haired medic ran her thumb over the black text, subconciously shifting in her boyfriend's loose hold. He turned his head from the TV to look at her.

"What." He said flatly. She started and in turn gazed at him in confusion.

"Sasuke-kun I didn't say anything..."

"You want to ask me something?" he stared at her searchingly with a slight frown. She looked down nervously, lightly tracing patterns on his knuckles. She didn't want to be disappointed, but she felt that she simply had to ask. She looked back at Sasuke with determination.

"How would you describe me Sasuke-kun?" he scoffed.

"Sakura you're like summer," with that he turned his attention back to the television. Sakura grinned happily and kissed him on the cheek. Taken unawares, he touched the place where she had kissed him, looking slightly startled.

"What?" he asked suspiciously, "Why are you so happy?"

His girlfriend giggled. "Nothing," the raven-haired man shrugged and looked back at the screen. His arms tightened around her just the slightest bit as she hummed happily. Summer, Sakura mused, how fitting.

* * *

><p>"Oh, the summer night<br>Has a smile of light  
>And she sits on a sapphire throne."<p>

-Barry Cornwall

Review please!


	13. Chapter 14

Prompt: rumor  
>Disclaimer: actually I do own Naruto...awkward... LoljkIwish<p>

* * *

><p>Sasuke hadn't been back in Konoha for very long. Maybe a year, at most. But, he mused, the days and weeks and months had all melded into an unnerving mixture of what was, what is, and what could have been.<p>

Everyone looked similar to how they had been, and just a little different from how Sasuke had imagined. For instance, he had wisely predicted that neither TenTen, Ino, would change their favored hairstyle, and that Naruto and Lee would be as loud and annoying as ever. However he had not foreseen the changes. Sakura's drastic increase in skill level, and her getting a...a... _boyfriend._

His expression soured at the thought. It wasn't that he thought her totally incapable of securing a !#$%, just that he thought she would have waited for him to come back and reject her one more time first.

The less socially retarded part of his mind pointed out that there was no real evidence that he was going to come back, to have her wait indefinitely was just ridiculous and flat out cruel, and that she had professed this "everlasting, unrelenting love" for him at the capricious age of 13.

He had gleaned some details from of her friends, and the rest of the rookie nine. Naruto had told him that this new _boyfriend_ of hers had enough money to have her living comfortably for the rest of her life.

Ino had told him (not that he had seeked her out for information) that _he_ showed her he appreciated her...nightly. She had lewdly added the last part with suggestive eyebrow movements. He had accidentally smashed a pot of gardenias at that point.

"Alright I get the point," she said sullenly while picking up the shards of terra cotta from the floor of the shop.

Kiba had told him at some inane party at Naruto's house that _he_ was well-liked by her parents, but that _he_ wasn't very physically strong. Not a ninja, the man had admitted, with a flash of his gleaming canines.

TenTen said that _his_ weapons-handling was sub-par. Neji said that _his_ hair wasn't very well-groomed, adding a flip of his own luscious locks for emphasis. Hinata painstakingly stuttered that _he_ was really good at listening to Sakura, and carrying on the conversation in return. The list went on and on.

But enough was enough, he had decided after one year. He was going to confront her, but only out of curiosity of course. And that's how Sasuke Uchiha found himself standing in front of her hospital desk awkwardly, wondering what exactly there was to say. He stared at her pink head, bent over a stack of paperwork.

She finally looked up with a practiced smile and Sasuke pretended he didn't see her expression falter. "Can I help you, Sasuke-kun?" she said in a soft voice edged with steel.

"Sakura I heard you have a...a..." Sasuke hesitated and his green-eyed teammate (he wondered if he should put an ex or former in front of that) stared at him expectantly. She tapped her slender fingers impatiently.

"Saauke-kun, you're starting to sound like Hinata," she said with just a hint of annoyance in her gentle tone. Sasuke gritted his teeth. This should be the other way around, and he was NOT like that Hyuuga girl.

"I heard you have a _boyfriend_," he couldn't help but crack his knuckles menacingly at the very idea. Because he was protective of her as a teammate, was all. Sakura giggled and folded her hands professionally over her paperwork. Sasuke could still see the mirth in her eyes and it hurt his ego.

"Sasuke-kun that's just a silly rumor that people have been spreading," she laughed "about me and this one civilian medic." she finished with a few more giggles.

"But...were you guys...did you ever...?" he left the question open-ended. The petite woman stood up, her lab coat blowing in the wind from the open window. Sasuke saw her shiver slightly and he made to close it, but she beat him to it. At that moment several things were made clear. She didn't need him anymore. She had moved on. And that this information did not put him in a good mood.

"Well, we went on a couple dates," she said as she walked back to her chair. She shrugged her shoulders and paused before sitting down. "but it never developed into anything serious," Sasuke noted with irritation that she sounded regretful. "Why?" he asked, intrigued against his own will.

"Because...he said," she laughed sadly and brushed her hair back shyly. Sasuke felt an unfamiliar pang go through him. "he said that I was already in love," and she gazed at him with her piercing green eyes and that mysterious smile Sasuke decided he liked playing around her lips. And in that moment Sasuke discarded all thoughts about what was, what is, and what could have been between him and Sakura. Instead, he focused on what he wanted them to become.

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><p>"Trying to squash a rumor is like trying to unring a bell." ~Shana Alexander<p>

Review Please! I liked this one :)


	14. Chapter 15

Prompt: I Believe In You by Kylie Minogue

Disclaimer: I believe I don't own Naruto... :(

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><p>"Sakura why are you here?" His terse tone rang out in the abandoned, dusty Uchiha courtyard. A couple crows cawed raucously, and Sakura wondered offhandedly if they could hear how soulless his voice sounded, and if it bothered them too.<p>

"Sasuke-kun..." with those words she felt the two tones collide and clash in the air. His was void of emotion, and hers had too damn much. She took a deep breath through lips that had already said too much. He turned around unexpectedly and her breath got stuck in her porcelain throat. His sharingan was activated but apart from that it was like looking at the face of a mannequin.

She swallowed thickly and he stared at her patiently. Every moment of silence seemed to prove his unsaid point. "I know that—" she was cut off by Sasuke's harsh voice.

"Don't make the mistake of thinking you know me Sakura. You know my name, and a couple other loose facts. But facts don't make a person,"

The pink-haired woman refused to be intimidated by this man who thought he could scare her away. "Really Sasuke?" she said quietly. They both felt the part of the sentence she should have said. "And would you say you know me?"

His sharingan subsided and he looked somewhere to the side. "Yes," he muttered Sakura laughed mirthlessly. "Oh really? At least I know your name and some facts! What do you know about me? My name, I should hope, and nothing else, am I correct?" Sasuke turned the full power of his gaze on her. A thrill ran down Sakura's spine.

How often had she wished for those burning obisidan to be focused on her? Well now her wish was granted and she couldn't wait for those haunted eyes to be off her. He growled and Sakura could feel the hairs on the back of her neck rising. She took another breath and exhaled slowly.

"Sakura, I have lots of faults," Sasuke said and Sakura wondered if he knew he sounded so helpless. She didn't know what he was trying to tell her. Maybe he was apologizing for all the hurt he had caused. Maybe he was telling her to not get any closer to him. Maybe she was reading too much into a simple sentence.

But Sasuke had always been like that. He said so little, that he was never one to waste words. So every word must mean something. Truthfully, he gave her a headache. Her emerald eyes searched his face desperately. Was it just a trick of the light or had his expression softened? But then it became a shield of marble once again.

"But I don't believe they're mine to blame." He pointed an accusing finger behind them. "Blame your beloved village for that," he spat bitterly. She looked down, ashamed at what had been done by both her teammate and her village. She knew the truth, she wasn't the Hokage's assistant for nothing. "I know you think it can magically all work out, Sakura, but I don't believe in magic," he continued.

Sakura looked up, a retort ready on her lips, but was met instead by Sasuke's swirling sharingan. She could feel the genjutsu wrapping smoky tendrils around her mind. He strode towards her and grabbed her wrists. She let out a strangled cry as he backed her against a wall and leaned in close for the final blow. "I can't love you," he whispered softly.

Sasuke knew how much she loved him. He hoped those words would be like the most acidic venom, eating through her love and dissolving it. So she could be free to love another. The last part rang unbidden in his mind. However they didn't have the desired effect. She kept struggling in his bruising grasp. Finally she threw her head back to stare up into his eyes.

Her own green ones glistened with unshed tears that still managed to make something within Sasuke want to protect her. "I believe in you," she said in a choked voice and he let her go as if burned. He watched as she fell to her knees on real concrete, she had broken through his genjutsu.

On her knees, she looked up at him almost pathetically. But Sasuke could see the strength in her leaf-green eyes. She shook her pink hair and opened her mouth defiantly. She was now going in for her final verbal blow. "I'll give you everything I have again and again. Because I believe in you,"

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><p>Eh. REVIEW PLWEASE! :D<p>

"Don't believe you know me  
>Although you know my name<br>I don't believe the faults I have  
>Are only mine to blame<br>I don't believe in magic  
>It's only in the mind<br>I'll give you everything I have again and again

'Cause I believe in you," – Kylie Minogue


	15. Chapter 16

Prompt: dream/nightmare

Disclaimer: NO I DON'T OWN RAWR I AM A DINOSAUR

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><p>She suffered from dreams. They came to her in the dead of night, and they were always different. One that came often was a dream of the future. She was visibly older, laughter lines crinkling around her eyes and faintly around her eyes. Her pink hair was still vibrant, but pulled back into a motherly bun. She held a squirming toddler at her hip and her green eyes sparkled with mirth. Sasuke stood a little farther back his face hidden by shadows, but from what she could see he was smiling. She always woke up from these dreams with tears pooling in her eyes and afterwards she turned on her side and sobbed herself to sleep.<p>

He suffered from nightmares. They came to him in the dead of night, and they were always the same couple ones. The one that happened the most often, the night of the Uchiha massacre. The tears in his brother's eyes, the warm blood of his parents splattering across his terrified face. The second, him killing Itachi. That moment would forever continue to haunt him. But the third, was when he tried to strangle Sakura. That was something he could never forgive himself for. He could almost still feel her smooth skin under his own callused palm, her pulse beating frantically against his hand, the fear and shock in her shining green eyes.

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><p>"Sakura, I see you haven't been getting much sleep recently," Tsunade said, observing the bruise-like bags under her apprentice's eyes. It wasn't a question, simply a statement. Sakura sighed in defeat. "Yes, Shishou,"<p>

"Why?" The blonde pressed "Nightmares?" She scrutinized Sakura's face so that she would know if the pink-haired woman decided to lie. A wistful smile spread on her lips. "No...dreams," she said and turned away. Tsunade knew the conversation was over.

"Well," she said gently "I hope you get some decent rest soon,"

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><p>"Sasuke... Sasuke? SASUKE?" Naruto yelled deafeningly into his friend's ear.<p>

"What Dobe?" he snapped in response. "Leave me the hell alone!" The blond stared at him with a incredulous expression on his face. "Sasuke, I thought you wanted to spar. And I've been talking to you for the past half an hour..." Naruto said suspiciously. Sasuke rubbed his eyes tiredly. "Hn," The blond took it as an apology and plopped down cross-legged on the training grounds.

"So Sasuke, the nightmares again?" he said casually, flicking a rock across the ground. Sasuke glared at him. "Just one" he admitted and his fingers twitched involuntarily in remembrance. He stared at them in disgust. These fingers had done unspeakable things to people he loved. He closed his eyes. Naruto patted his shoulder. "Well get some sleep," he said softly. Sasuke hned in acknowledgement.

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><p>The three of them sat together at Ichiraku's and Naruto was getting more and more unnerved by the silence of his two teammates. Sakura was being unusually distant and reserved, quietly eating her noodles with barely a glance in either his or Sasuke's direction. Her normally vivacious emerald eyes were glazed over and unfocused, and she wore a slight frown, as if she was reliving something unsavory.<p>

Naruto's sea-blue eyes turned to Sasuke. This teammate was not unusually silent, but his silence hadn't even been punctuated with brief insults directed towards the blond. If Naruto watched carefully, he would see the Uchiha shoot furtive glances at their female teammate. He frowned. Something was definitely up between Sasuke and Sakura.

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><p>The confrontation came at night outside of her apartment complex. She fumbled for keys in a purse that seemed to have everything but her keys when she suddenly sensed Sasuke behind her. She turned around slowly, wondering if she looked terrible then chastising herself for caring. He stared at her with those black cold eyes and she smiled. He noticed with a jolt somewhere in his stomach that it looked unused and awkward, when he remembered so clearly when it came to her as easily as breathing.<p>

"Sasuke..kun..." his eyes narrowed. Did she just almost forget the affectionate suffix that she had been using for their entire lives? How long had it been, exactly, since they had spoken to each other properly? _Too long, _a voice he had not quite buried responded snidely. Then he realized she was still speaking to him. "Would you like to come in?" she said hesitantly.

He nodded and she went back to unlocking the door, made painfully self-concious by the feeling of eyes on her back. As the two teammates walked into her house Sakura carelessly tossed herself into a worn chintz armchair and gestured to the threadbare couch. Sasuke tried his best not to make a face but he assumed he was failing from the look Sakura gave him. He scoffed slightly and sat down, perched on the very edge of the ratty seat.

"I don't have very much money, Sasuke-kun," she said in a chiding voice. "Be thankful that I have any furniture at all." With that reprimand she rummaged around in her bag and pulled out a bottle of some bright blue substance. She took a couple modest sips and set it down on the floor. Sasuke wondered if she was going to offer him some then decided that he would rather if she didn't. They both stared at each other in a moment of silence. It wasn't awkward. Simply contemplative.

"I can't sleep at night," they both said simultaneously. Growth-green met stone-black in a mutual glare.

"It's your fault," they both said reproachfully. Sakura huffed and threw her hands up in exasperation and Sasuke let out something that sounded like an aggravated growl. He steepled his fingers and stayed silent while the girl turned woman calmed herself down in front of him.

"So what's bothering you..at night," she said in her best therapeutic voice. He came very close to rolling his eyes then told himself that that was something Sakura would do, not him.

"I'm haunted by the past," he admitted and looked at her meaningfully. She looked like she was trying very hard not to full out glare at him. She hastily took a couple more sips of the bottled blue liquid.

"Alright Sasuke-kun, here's the thing," she started, "I appreciate you opening up to me, but there're just so many things in your angst-ridden past that could haunt you I really have no idea what you mean when you say that," the last part came out in a breathy rush and she looked at him apprehensively, as if he would start going on some bloodthirsty rampage because she had mentioned his past. When it looked like he was still mentally and emotionally stable (or as stable as Sasuke ever was) she relaxed.

"I'm haunted by the future..." she said with a frown. Sasuke wondered if this future included him.

"I'm sorry I tried to- I wish I hadn't-" Sasuke jumbled his words in his haste to get the message across and Sakura just stared at him. She was stunned by these uncharacteristic words of apology. "I apologize..." he cast an almost nervous glance at her "for what happened," he said in a low voice. Whatever reaction he was expecting from her, this wasn't it. Sakura stood up so suddenly the armchair scooted back with a raucous screech. Sasuke noted that her cheeks were blotchily flushed, her lips were trembling, and her hands were fisted so hard her knuckles were bone-white. Frankly, he thought she looked lovely. She opened her mouth and he expected her to scream, so he was surprised by her venomous hiss.

"Sorry for _what_, Sasuke-kun? Which of the atrocities that you've committed are you apologizing for? How fucking cryptic can you get, _seriously_? Or are you apologizing for all of them?" Her caustic words were like vitriol to his ears. In turn he felt his own rage start to resurface.

"You think this is easy for me, Sakura? I thought you'd be grateful," he knew his callous words were uncalled for and she had every right to be furious. Maybe even throw in a couple super-strength punches. But he was _trying so hard dammit, why couldn't she see that? _

As he said that all the fight seemed to go out of her and it looked like she had wilted. She sank back down in her chair and her face was white. He thought he glimpsed a shining tear at the corner of her eye before she buried her face in her hands. He didn't hear any sniffling, and her shoulders didn't shake, but Sasuke knew that she was crying. And for some twisted, depraved, demented reason, this put him at ease. Maybe things hadn't changed as much as he'd thought, if he could still make her cry. When she finally took her face out of her hands, she looked totally composed and her eyes weren't even red.

"Sasuke-kun," she said in a perfectly controlled and steady voice, "I think it best if you leave," and he knew there was no room for negotiation. At the door he hesitated.

"Sakura...what's bothering you at night?" he asked partly out of curiosity and the other part was a feeling he couldn't place. She looked at him guardedly before running her hand through her hair with a sigh. He caught a whiff of citrus and jasmine and he tucked the smell away in his memory to relive later.

"The future. What could have been. Something that will never happen. It's silly," she said lightly, but he could hear the melancholy in her voice. Sasuke put a hand gently on her head and she started.

"I promise you..." what could he promise her? But then he thought of Naruto's insane promise and his resolve strengthened. If the Dobe could promise her something so ludicrous then so could he. "I promise you we'll be in each other's futures," he said and stared straight into her eyes. She nodded. That was all he could give her and she understood that it was for her sake and happiness. She smiled and said thickly. "Thank you,"

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><p>"Deep into that darkness peering, long I stood there, wondering, fearing, doubting, dreaming dreams no mortal ever dared to dream before." - Edgar Allen Poe<p>

"I was obsessed by the nightmare of it all; there was this sense of guilt, and an anger that has become something much deeper over these last years." - Paddy Ashdown

A/N: Oohh I like this one. :) Review and tell me what the hell Sakura's drinking! Haha, Thanks for reading!


	16. Happy Birthday Sasuke!

Prompt: Birthday

Disclaimer: I wish. Nuff said homies. Weird mood. I lurv puppies! :D

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><p>He wasn't expecting much. Definitely not any presents, maybe a bit of time with his team (just a bit), and hopefully a bit of time alone. Of course being on a team with the Copy Ninja, the Jinchuuriki, and the Hokage's Apprentice didn't make things very...predictable, to say the least.<p>

"So Sasuke-kun, what do you want for your birthday?" Sakura flashed a blinding beam at him as she bandaged his wound, as if the fact that he was one year closer to his death was something worth celebrating and being happy about. He raised an eyebrow and stared at her inscrutably. She brushed back her growing pink hair with a breathless laugh and pushed his shoulder gently.

"Stop looking so glum, Sasuke-kun. A birthday's something you should be excited about!" Sasuke wondered what would happen if he started acting excited. Maybe the apocalypse. The thought was tempting.

"Nothing, Sakura. No presents, got it?" His teammate fixed him with a knowing look and he sighed. He knew this was how she would take it. She thought that he secretly actually wanted something. Please. That was something that girls and Kakashi did. Not him. Not Sasuke Uchiha. She stood up, finished, and he saw a small smile on her face before she turned around to leave.

"Well, if you say so," she drawled and he swore he could practically feel the smugness in the air, it was _that_ tangible. He scowled at her back. She better not get him a present.

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><p>"So Teme, I heard your birthday's coming up," Naruto hollered from right next to him at the club he had dragged him and Sakura to. He grunted an affirmation, too fixed on watching Sakura shake it on the dance floor. In her sleek grey dress and bright pink heels, she looked practically edible. His ever-present glare intensified as some miscellaneous man asked her to dance with him and she agreed, all smiles.<p>

Sasuke took a hearty gulp of something that burned his throat as he pondered the proper way to punish the wrongdoer. Disembowel, dismember, or decapitate? He smirked. He knew just how he wanted to punish Sakura for being so irresponsible. Ahem. Naruto was silent, which meant something was up. He turned to see the blond sporting a huge shit-eating grin as he looked from him to Sakura. Sasuke's glare was back.

"What." He growled. Naruto wiggled his eyebrows suggestively. "I see you eyeing Sakura-chan!" the jinchuuriki said in a partly triumphant partly accusatory voice as he pointed to Sasuke dramatically.

"Well of course I'm keeping an eye on her," Sasuke seethed, "Seeing as nobody else is!" he cast a baleful glance at Kakashi, who was surrounded by a ring of ladies. "Who knows what could happen! That man is getting a little..grabby," he returned to glaring at the man Sakura was dancing with. Naruto rolled his cerulean eyes.

"Yeah right, who knows what could happen my ass. Haven't you ever been on the recieving end of one of her super punches?" he rubbed his jaw ruefully. Sasuke put a hand to his chest and was reminded that his right lower-most rib would never be the same. "Yeah I'd say Sakura-chan can take care of herself, wouldn't you?" Sasuke nodded reluctantly.

"So since we've covered that, apart from Sakura, what do you want for your birthday?" Naruto said cheerfully, as if he hadn't just inserted their female teammate into the list of "things Sasuke wants" which was, Sasuke admitted to himself, just where he liked her. Well, maybe he'd like her a little more in the list of "things Sasuke has".

With a sigh he turned to Naruto. "Nothing," he said seriously. "I want nothing for my birthday," he said the last part as earnestly as he could, hoping this man he called his best friend would understand the feeling behind the words. Naruto's aquamarine eyes twinkled in understanding. "Oh teme, I can't get you nothing for your birthday, that'd just be sad," Sasuke grumbled a reluctant acknowledgement. Well at least Naruto had recognized that he didn't want anything.

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><p>On the day of Sasuke's birthday, Sakura was more than excited for the both of them. She called Kakashi and told him to be at her place at 2:30, Naruto, and Sasuke to meet 5:30 and told them to dress up. She herself donned a beautiful kimono that she'd been saving forever. It started off with a deep beautiful purple and gradiated into a pastel pink that matched her hair at the hem. She painstakingly applied a coat of mascara, and dug out her tube of lip gloss from whatever drawer it had been hiding in.<p>

She whizzed around the house in a whirl of purple and pink, bestowing paper Uchiha fans everywhere as decorations. She bought a cake from a bakery that Choji had specially recommended. She knew Sasuke didn't really like sweets, so she decided to have her own way with the cake, decorating it with beautiful crystallized flower arrangements from Ino. She knew that Naruto and Kakashi wouldn't mind. Sakura made sure that she bought a basket of tomatoes and set it next to the cake.

When the doorbell rang she hastily applied the lip gloss and practically ran to the door, smiling like there was no tomorrow. It was Naruto and Sasuke and she laughed out of pure happiness that they were there. Naruto was wearing a blindingly orange yukata that was decorated with the same symbol that was on his jumpsuit. She hugged him fiercely, he was like a brother to her, and she loved him dearly. Then she turned to Sasuke.

He was wearing a navy formal kimono, so dark it was almost black, and she would bet everything she owned that the Uchiha fan was on the back. He took in the decorations she had made of his clan symbol, and the cuts on her fingers that gave away that she had cut each one by herself. He quirked an eyebrow as if to ask her why. She couldn't answer that question without a bit of heartbreak so she sidestepped with a practiced airy laugh and shrug.

Naruto took in the festivities with wide eyes and a drop of his jaw. "Wow Sakura-chan you're really making this like some sort of holiday," he said, amazed at the amount of consideration. She rolled her viridian eyes. As if she didn't do as much for all of his birthdays. "Jealous?" Sasuke cut in with a smirk before she could retort. Naruto puffed out his chest. "As if,"

As much as she tried to stop it, the rivalry warmed her heart and brought a smile to her face. It had taken so long for them to get comfortable with each other again after Sasuke had been brought back, and she wouldn't lose this banter and familiarity for the world.

"Now now boys," she said teasingly, "who wants cake?" She led Naruto, Sasuke, and Kakashi who had mysteriously appeared to the dining room. Naruto looked at the cake in undisguised awe.

"Sakura-chan! That looks like heaven on earth" she could practically see the drool coming out of his open mouth. "Help yourself," she said.

"Don't mind if I do," Kakashi said. "Oh no wait!" Sakura grabbed the knife rather hastily from her sensei's hand. The pink-haired medic came back with 20 candles and a lighter.

"I could just use Katon..." Sasuke deadpanned as she lit all of them individually. Sakura scoffed.

"And have you set fire to my precious furniture? No thanks," she said, snuffing the flame. Sasuke admired the way the firelight made her eyes sparkle and shadows dance on her face. "Ready Kakashi-sensei? Naruto?" She said with thinly veiled anticipation.

"Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday dear Sasuke(kun), happy birthday, to you," His teammates sang and if Sasuke was a different man he would have smiled widely.

"Presents!" Sakura cried after they had all had their cake (Sasuke his tomatoes) and a few good rounds of sake.

Kakashi brought his out first. A unmistakably familiar orange book made a thud on Sakura's dinner table.

"Sasuke. In light of your becoming a man, I want you to have this," Kakashi said seriously. Sasuke raised his eyebrows, loathe to touch it. Sakura seethed murderously and Naruto sighed and slapped his palm to his forehead.

"If it makes you feel any better," Naruto said in an exasperated voice, "he did this to me too,"

"Let me guess, Kakashi-sensei. You were running late and forgot to buy Sasuke-kun a birthday present so you just gave him your _disgusting _book that you _always _carry around with you," Sakura said articulately. The Copy Ninja scratched the back of his head sheepishly. Sakura sighed and took a gulp from the sake cup in front of her. Two pink spots appeared on her cheeks and her eyes brightened.

"Forgiven," she waved the misdemeanor away sloppily and all three men were reminded forcefully of their Hokage. "Naruto?" she said, slamming the cup down onto the table. The blond placed a neatly wrapped present on the table. Sakura eyed it suspiciously. "Did you get Hinata to wrap this for you?" Now it was Naruto's turn to laugh sheepishly as Sasuke unwrapped it. Sakura sighed and took another gulp of sake. It seemed that she was really going all out tonight. Her teammates eyed her warily. Like her mentor, she tended to be a violent drunk. When Sasuke finally got to the present, he was lost for words.

"Dobe... You got me a cup of instant ramen...?" Sakura just took another gulp of sake. Sasuke wondered that she was so well stocked. Perhaps she knew this was going to happen. Naruto got ready to flee if Sakura started to throw a tantrum, but it seemed she was placated by the alcohol so he settled back into his seat. She placed her package onto the table with uncontainable excitement. He picked it up gently, feeling it shift under his hands. Was it cloth?

He unwrapped it and his breath left him. A black cloak made out of silk with a beautifully hand embroidered Uchiha fan on the back. Sakura was suddenly jittery and fidgeted anxiously.

"I thought.. you know you didn't want presents..so I tried to make something of use," she tucked her hair behind her ear nervously. Sasuke looked at her sharply.

"You made this?" he asked. She inclined her head. He let it slide through his fingers, running his thumb over his clan symbol. "It gets cold outside sometimes and," she was babbling, "I wanted you to...I wanted you to have something of me," she said the last part in a hushed voice. Kakashi made eye contact with Naruto and they both got up and left. Sakura touched his sleeve cautiously.

"I'm sorry if it was too personal, sorry, I didn't think, it wasn't my place,"

"Stop," she looked up and brushed away something from her eye. It suddenly occurred to Sasuke that she was woefully drunk. The Sakura of the present would never cry because she thought Sasuke didn't like her birthday present. Maybe in private, but definitely not in front of him. This was something Sakura of the past would do. Bolstered by this thought, he brushed a finger along her cheek and she immediately quieted, her eyes wide and shining.

"Sakura...thank you," she blushed slightly. Then she passed out on the table. Sasuke sighed, hit by déjà vu like a bowling ball. After tucking her into bed like a gentleman, Sasuke picked up the cloak, wondering if he should wear it home. The crafstmanship was extraordinary, and he wondered where Sakura had learned how to embroider. Now he knew that the band-aids on her fingers were from a sewing needle, as well as a pair of scissors. He threw it around him, savoring the extra warmth and caught a whiff of something..sweet.

A scent of citrus and jasmine enveloped him and he specifically recognized that to be Sakura's scent. With burning ears he wondered whether she had tried the cloak on before giving it to him, and heat pooled in his gut as he imagined her branded with his family symbol. He smirked. A better birthday than he could have hoped for.

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><p>"There is still no cure for the common birthday." - John Glenn<p>

A/N: I liked this one too. INSPIRATION FTW!


	17. Chapter 17

Prompt: influence

Disclaimer: So many bad jokes having to do with influence that I could torture you with right now...but no I do not own Naruto bahah. ;D

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><p>Though they both denied it vehemently, everyone knew that something was going on. It could be seen from the light in their eyes to the way they walked, and especially their actions and reactions. It was obvious that Uchiha Sasuke and Haruno Sakura were in a relationship.<p>

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><p>"Hey forehead will you hand me that pot of gardenia's over there? Thanks!" Ino hollered at Sakura from across the store.<p>

"Hn," the pink-haired girl responded with a curt nod. Ino dropped the glass vase she was holding in shock.

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><p>"Uchiha I want no complications on this mission! Is that clear?" Tsunade barked before taking a swig from the sake bottle in front of her. Shizune rushed in and tried to wrench it from her stubborn grasp.<p>

"Hai Shi-Hokage-sama," Tsunade's hand went limp from shock and Shizune was sent crashing into the wall, with the sake bottle finally in her hands. She folded her hands on the desk and narrowed her eyes suspiciously.

"Uchiha...did you just almost – if my ears weren't decieving me, call me Shishou?" Tsunade said incredulously. Sasuke put a hand to his forehead as if to erase all memory of the past thirty seconds.

"Hn," he sighed in apology, affirmation, and shame, and left, while the busty blonde shook her head in disbelief.

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><p>"Dickless, I have been noticing something very strange about Hag and Traitor," Sai said with an unsettling smile on his face. Naruto clenched his teeth and grumbled about the unflattering nickname before turning to face him.<p>

"Yeah me too," the blond said with an uncharacteristic frown on his lips. "It's like...they're acting like each other," he said, rubbing his forehead as if to ease the confusion. Then he looked up with a determined expression. "We need to confront them,"

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><p>"Hey Sakura-chan...I know you're dating Teme," Naruto said with a totally straight face an arm on the counter of the dango shop. Sakura screeched and dropped her dango, took a swing at him (which he dodged, thankfully) then looked down ruefully at her now inedible dango.<p>

"Ok...fine, you got me," she said, scuffing the ground in embarrassment. Naruto grinned widely, his buoyant spirits now back in full force. "Why didn't you tell us Sakura-chan?"

"I thought maybe it'd be weird...I mean, me and Sasuke-kun? It's a weird couple? Isn't it?" She said a little desperately, as if not fully assured that they were meant to be together. To her surprise Naruto burst out laughing hysterically, even going so far as to slap his knee loudly. The medic wasn't sure if she should be offended, or start infusing chakra into his brain to search for signs of insanity.

"Naruto..?" she asked uncertainly. He wiped his eyes, still chuckling.

"Ah Sakura-chan, the entire village knew you guys were supposed to be together. It was just a matter of when and how," he explained to her. Her malachite eyes widened. "Really?" it looked like she was trying not to smile. "So..does the entire village know we're together now?" Naruto nodded.

"It's really painfully obvious," he said earnestly. She giggled. "How so?" Naruto placed a finger to his chin in mock thought.

"Well you guys act like each other now!"

"What? Tell me I'm not broody and angst-ridden!" Sakura cried.

"No Sakura-chan! Like you say 'hn' and he says 'hai' and I heard that he even almost called baa-chan Shishou!" He said in a stage-whisper. She laughed in mirth.

"Hah! That's the best! It must be because I talk about her so much," she said between giggles, finally placing a hand to her stomach as she fully envisioned the scene. Naruto grinned. He loved seeing Sakura-chan so happy, and if his best friend could do that to her then by all means he could have her.

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><p>"Sasuke-kun?" she asked quietly as they lay underneath the cloudy sky. There were no stars out, but it was warm and she had dragged him outside even though he had threatened her that the mosquitoes were going to eat her alive.<p>

"Hn?"

"Did you really call Shishou shishou?" she said, giggling softly. She could practically see his scowl.

"...no," he said.

"Lies!" she cried and sat up, pointing at him in the dark. He raised his eyebrows and grabbed her hand, pulling so that she landed on top of him. He kissed her fragrant hair and she hummed into his sternum.

"Let's just say...it's a matter of influence," he murmured into the pink strands.

* * *

><p>"Brute nature has been know to yield to the influence of love." Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi :)<p>

A/N: I feel like Sakura was kinda OOC. She was a lil..ditzy lol. The format was funny, and it seemed really short because it was made up of a bunch of miniscule pieces. Hm. I hope you like it!

Thanks for reading! Please review!


	18. Chapter 18

Prompt: possibly maybe by Bjork

Dislclaimer: I possibly maybe own Naruto. Loljk :D

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><p>Solitude has been his preferred way of life for a lifetime. But he thinks to himself he wouldn't mind spending a little time with that kunoichi who wriggled her way into his heart. Like a water eroding stone, she eroded his "unbreakable" barriers into bits of dust and remnants of regret and anger and hatred. The word <em>revenge <em>echoes dully in his mind, like a dream from a past-life. Almost forgotten. He can't help but admire the way the light shines on her coral hair, and highlights her smooth collar-bone.

Her eyes are as green as the leaves that line the trees, and as he watches them he realizes what they say about them being the windows to the soul wasn't true. Because he knew what he was seeing in Sakura's eyes was her heart. In her sparkling eyes he saw her love, her sorrow, and her happiness.

And he decided that he didn't know about anyone else's (because frankly he didn't care), but her's was pure and perfect and _so right _even if it wasn't whole. Part of him doesn't want to give her hope again because he had seen her let down by him _so many damn times _and he doesn't want to see it happen again. Because he doesn't know if he can truly make her happy. But he's too selfish to let that stop him (because really when _hasn't _he been a selfish?)

He asked her to spar because though he had seen and heard so much about her fighting style and technique and monstrous strength, he hasn't been faced with it. Not truly. And it excites him with uncertainty. He decides that she is eruptions and disasters as she punches craters in the ground with her fists alone.

He would laugh at the irony if he wasn't so busy evading her chakra scalpels. She looked so dainty and elegant and small but in reality the way she fought was anything but. In his mind it was ok. He was the elegance and efficiency and calm that she needed. He completed her. Because neither of them were really whole anymore. Because this was _possibly_ maybe _probably_ love.

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><p>"smittens me with hope<br>possibly maybe probably love

as much as i definitely enjoy solitude  
>I wouldn't mind perhaps<br>spending little time with you  
>sometimes<br>uncertainly excites me  
>who knows what's going to happen?<p>

you're eruptions and disasters  
>I keep calm<br>admiring your lava  
>I keep calm<br>as a remembrance of you"

-Bjork

A/N: Super short little drabble thing. Yes those are _supposed _to be run-on weird incomplete fragmant sentence thingies. Ever heard of poetic license? :3 thanks for reading! Pwease weview! (Please review)


	19. Last Chapter

Prompt: bloodline limit

Disclaimer: DO i look like I own naruto? Sorry guys it's late I'm tired deal with the sucky disclaimer.

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><p>"Sakura it wasn't like that," Sasuke said in a bored voice. His teammate shrieked in frustration and looked seconds away from scratching out his eyes and pulling out his hair.<p>

"Sasuke-kun what else could it be! Just because you come from some uppity clan and have a practically invincible bloodline limit doesn't meant that I'm totally useless!" Sasuke clenched his jaw and Sakura's small hands curled into fists. "It's just that...you don't need to protect me whenever you _think _I'm in danger, Sasuke-kun," she said, her aggressive tone softening. Sasuke stood up suddenly from the stools they were sitting on.

"Sakura I don't protect you because I think you're – look I, ugh," with an aggravated growl he stalked away from her. The medic turned to Naruto who was dutifully minding his own business and eating his ramen. Her green eyes were bewildered and she ran a hand through her pink locks, effectively mussing them up. Naruto stifled a chuckle at her appearance wisely. It wasn't smart to make fun of Sakura when she was in this mood. Not in the interest of self-preservation and reproduction.

"Naruto, what just happened?" she said in a stunned voice. Naruto shrugged vaguely and said something through a mouthful of noodles but Sakura had already left.

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><p>"Ino...does Shikamaru ever protect you with his bloodline limit? You know, too much?" Sakura said pensively, her brow furrowed. She ate another cracker and rolled over on Ino's plush purple bedspread. Ino put down the tube of mascara she was holding and laughed and laughed and laughed. Finally she stopped, still plagued with the odd giggle.<p>

"As if! Shikamaru is _waayy_ too lazy to ever protect me. Even if he thought I was in _real _danger!" Ino said, her shoulders still shaking with mirth. Sakura rolled her bottle-green eyes. She knew Ino was exaggerating. Shikamaru Nara was undoubtedly lazy, but not too lazy to save his girlfriend from an enemy. But obviously Ino never had that problem so she was going to have to talk to someone else. She munched on another cracker, deep in thought as Ino shook her head, still amused at the thought of Shikamaru being overprotective.

* * *

><p>"Tenten-chan," Sakura took a deep sip of some fruity tea. "I was wondering if I could ask you for some advice. I mean, relationship advice..?" Tenten nodded and gestured for her to continue. "Well the thing is, Neji-san and Sasuke-kun are pretty similar," Tenten nodded again. "I mean, they both come from prestigious clans, and they both have bloodline limits that even both have to do with their eyes. And they're both on the quieter side. So my question is, is Neji ever overprotective with you?"<p>

Sakura bit her lip. Tenten popped an oddly shaped biscuit into her mouth and chewed thoughtfully. Sakura eyed the treats distrustfully. When Sakura had asked to meet, Tenten had suggested this little café that Sakura had never been to before, and now she knew why she hadn't. All the food here was quite bizarre and frankly she was going to stick to normal food thank you very much.

"Neji and Sasuke-san are quite alike, aren't they?" Tenten said rhetorically, brushing off her fingers. "Neji was really overprotective, a lot with other guys, but I think you're asking more as a ninja, am I right?" The brunette gave the pink-haired woman a knowing look. "Otherwise you wouldn't have brought up the bloodline limit. Neji was extremely overprotective on the battlefield, and he couldn't get it through his luscious locks and thick skull that I was able to take care of myself on the battlefield and off of it. It was endearing sometimes, but extremely annoying the rest of the time," Sakura nodded enthusiastically, empathizing all too well. Tenten gave a small laugh at her eager expression.

"When he really got it was when I blew up at him and told him I would make sure he would never have children if he continued on like this," The Chinese girl sighed nostalgically. "But I think that'll be harder with Sasuke-san. You're like a more extreme version of us," She laughed again and Sakura let out a wistful sigh at the last very true statement. If only they weren't so extreme, it might just be easier. "

I'm sorry after all this I don't have any advice to give you, but I'm going to tell you something I want you to know. Men don't just do things for us because they think we're incompetent, or weak, and can't do it ourselves. Of course, that is the case sometimes, but if he really cares about you then that's not it. And don't worry Sakura-chan, our men care, even if they are emotionally retarded. They do those things because they care. And I don't know about you, but once I understood that," she opened her arms and shrugged. "it just didn't bug me anymore,"

* * *

><p>Sakura picked up the phone with a determined expression. She dialed the number she had memorized at the age of eleven and waited with bated breath for an answering voice.<p>

"Hey Sakura," a deep voice answered on the other end, crackling somewhat through the mouthpiece. A smile spread across her face and she twirled the phone wire in her hands shyly.

"Hi Sasuke-kun. I was wondering..." she trailed off hesitantly, not knowing whether she wanted to follow through on this impulse or not. "if you wanted to go out for dinner?"

"Hn. Go out as in fancy?" Sakura pursed her lips.

"Not if you don't want to...semi-formal?"

"Ok, same place?"

"See you there, Sasuke-kun,"

"Aa,"

As she put the phone down in it's cradle gently she grinned happily. After their little spat Sasuke had become broodier and sullen. More than usual, and they hadn't talked to each other since then. She had worried that he would actually be angry, but that didn't seem to be the case. It had been a little...awkward, but make ups usually are. They arrived at the restaurant at the same time and Sasuke let Sakura walk in front of him. He didn't open the door for her and she turned and looked at him pointedly. His brow furrowed in confusion.

"I thought you didn't like it when I did stuff like that..." he said, mildly surprised.

"Well...I gave it some thought, and I realized I actually do like it. I get it. And," She mimicked Tenten and shrugged with a small smile playing on her lips. "it doesn't bother me anymore. Any of it,"

He walked up to her and she could feel his exhalation on her hairline. Gripping her chin he tilted her head up and looked into her leaf-green eyes before kissing her softly.

"I love you, you know," Sakura said in a meek voice when he pulled away.

"I know," Sasuke said, a rare smile flitting across his lips. He pulled her closer. "I do too,"

* * *

><p>"I, with a deeper instinct, choose a man who compels my strength, who makes enormous demands on me, who does not doubt my courage or my toughness, who does not believe me naive or innocent, who has the courage to treat me like a woman."<p>

- Anais Nin

A/N: Thought the quote was awesome for Sakura & Sasuke!

Last chapter guys. So much thanks for everyone who followed my story and read my writing! Special thanks to:

filipinochick

MikaUchiha666

Naiya12

For following me all the way and reviewing at every step. Thanks so much guys, your reviews were fantastic. Also to:

A Girl Named Blessed

For those bigass reviews that left me grinning like a lunatic. ;) thank you all! Even those who didn't review. You know who you are. :p

-shasa


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